Perioperative point of care ultrasound in ambulatory anesthesia: thinking beyond nerve blocks

Ultrasound has become readily available in the perioperative area. In this review, we aim to bring forth some uses of ultrasound beyond that in regional anesthesia.

Critical care and emergency physicians have embraced ultrasound in their respective fields. We as anesthesiologists and practitioners of acute care medicine are not immune to this penetration. There is been a lot of recent literature on the various uses of perioperative point of care ultrasound. Our review summarizes the recent data and provides the reader with an overall idea of the uses of ultrasound in the perioperative arena.

Focus towards improving patient outcomes is the goal of all physicians and point of care ultrasound is one modality that can help us manage some common conditions in the perioperative period. Perioperative point of care ultrasound training may soon become a prerequisite for an anesthesiology residency.